Strawberry Nutella Linzer Cookies Recipe tastes like buttery almond shortbread with a bright pop of strawberry jam and a silky swipe of chocolate-hazelnut. The ingredients keep costs low, and the batch suits bake sales, date nights, or kid helpers, with a total time of about 1 hour 45 minutes. I baked these while my coffee cooled and ended up texting the neighbor to bring more taste-testers.
Reasons To Try This Strawberry Nutella Linzer Cookies Recipe
These linzer cookies hit that dreamy contrast: crisp-tender almond cookies, smooth Nutella, and tangy-sweet strawberry jam. The flavors balance without heavy sweetness, so you taste the nuts, vanilla, and fruit in every bite.
You can prep the dough ahead, chill it, and roll it when you have time. The cookies hold shape well, which makes them ideal for neat cutouts and gift boxes.
“I served these at a weekend brunch, and the plate vanished before the eggs came out. The mix of strawberry and Nutella won over both kids and adults. Texture stayed perfect the next day, too.”
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter, softened: 1 cup or 226 g
- Pantry shortcut: use salted butter and reduce the added salt to a pinch.
- Granulated sugar: 2/3 cup or 135 g
- Large egg: 1
- Pure vanilla extract: 1.5 teaspoons
- All-purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups or 190 g
- Finely ground almond flour: 1 cup or 96 g
- Kosher salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon optional
- Finely grated lemon zest: 1/2 teaspoon optional
Filling and finish:
- Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread: 1/2 to 2/3 cup
- Brand note: classic Nutella spreads easily and sets cleanly.
- Strawberry jam or preserves: 1/2 cup
- Tip: choose seedless for a smoother bite; Bonne Maman and Smucker’s both work great.
- Powdered sugar for dusting: about 1/2 cup
- Shortcut: use a fine-mesh strainer to dust quickly and evenly.
Equipment:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer, mixing bowls, rubber spatula
- Rolling pin, parchment paper, two rimmed sheet pans
- 2-inch round or fluted cutter plus a small cutter for the window
- Offset spatula or butter knife, wire cooling racks, fine-mesh strainer
Pro Tips
You can bake bakery-level linzers at home with a few small moves.
- Weigh your flour and almond flour for consistent texture.
- Roll between two sheets of parchment to prevent sticking and extra flour.
- Chill cut cookies on the tray for 10 minutes before baking for sharp edges.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack and rotate at the halfway mark.
- Keep the cookies the same thickness, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, for even bake.
- Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar before sandwiching to keep the windows clean.
- Spread thin layers of Nutella and jam so the cookies do not slide.
- Swirl the Nutella and jam together with a toothpick for a marbled look.
How to Make Strawberry Nutella Linzer Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes active, plus 45 minutes chill
- Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes per batch
- Total Time: about 1 hour 45 minutes
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a mixer on medium until creamy and slightly fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth and glossy.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together in clumps.
- Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap and chill until firm but rollable, about 45 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Line two sheet pans with parchment.
- Roll one disc between parchment to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut 2-inch rounds and place them on the pans, spacing about 1 inch apart.
- Cut a small window in half of the cookies using a mini cutter. Chill the trays for 10 minutes to help the cookies hold shape.
- Bake one tray at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges look set and just begin to turn pale golden.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
- Sift powdered sugar over the window cookies. Keep the base cookies plain.
- Spread about 1 teaspoon Nutella on each base cookie and top with about 1 teaspoon strawberry jam. You can swirl the two gently for a pretty ribbon.
- Cap each with a window cookie and press lightly to sandwich. Let the cookies sit 15 minutes so the fillings set.
Different Ways to Try It
You can customize this dough and filling to fit your needs without losing that classic linzer charm.
- Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour plus the almond flour. Chill the cut cookies for 15 minutes and bake on the longer side.
- Vegan: swap in plant-based butter sticks, and use 3 tablespoons aquafaba or a flax egg for the egg. Pick a dairy-free chocolate-hazelnut spread and vegan sugar.
- Lower sugar: use allulose or a cup-for-cup erythritol blend for the dough, and choose a reduced-sugar strawberry jam. A sugar-free hazelnut spread works as well.
- Add-ins: zest an orange into the dough, add a pinch of cardamom, or fold in 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs for extra crunch. Swap almond flour for hazelnut meal for nutty depth.
How to Serve Strawberry Nutella Linzer Cookies
Serve these cookies at room temperature so the Nutella stays creamy and the jam tastes bright. Pair with hot coffee, black tea, or cold milk. For a dessert plate, add fresh strawberries and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. I also stack them in a tin with parchment layers for an easy gift.
Storage Success
Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days. The jam softens the cookies slightly on day two, which tastes lovely for fans of tender shortbread. Freeze unfilled cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw and fill before serving. You can also freeze the dough discs for 2 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, and roll cold for best shape.
Strawberry Nutella Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and hazelnut flour to the wet mixture, stirring until combined.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with your favorite shape cutter. Cut out a small shape in the center of half the cookies for the tops.
- Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Spread Nutella on the solid-bottom cookies and strawberry jam on top of Nutella. Place the cutout cookies on top to sandwich together.
- Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.